Portrait of a Cyber Sexual Predator

1Running Head: PORTRIAT OF CYBER SEXUAL PREDATOR

Portrait of a Cyber Sexual Predator

Donna L. LaPalm

Regis University

2PORTRAIT OF A CYBER SEXUAL PREDATOR

Pedophiles and Hebophiles Online

The proceeding material depicts the characteristics of an online sexual predator, both in

criminological theory, and diagnostically. The male, or female that perpetrates these crimes against the

victim which in this case is a child—both prepubescent, and through adolescence is the topic of this

expose. Cyber space is not only a measure in which they gain control over their victims, it is frequently

what further perpetuates their very dangerous, and lethal behaviors which are directed at our children.

Variances in methods are being utilized to achieve what they came trolling the information

super highway for: sex with minors. These criminals come in droves, and they support, and assist one

another in their deviate endeavors. More often than not—these individuals or groups feel entitled to

their privacy, even with their crimes against children being perpetrated Their amendment rights are just

as palpable for them, as they are for you and I—non cyber world criminals is what is within their

reasoning.

First Amendment Rights

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free

exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press” (Hickey, 2008, p. 160). “In spite of

these valiant declarations, there have always been restraints on speech and writing with both practical

and legal supports” (Hickey, 2008, p. 160). However, the first amendment does not allow someone to

shout fire in a crowded theatre” in order to wreak havoc on the unsuspected victim (Hickey, 2008; p

161). Ergo, the necessity for this portion of the introduction ; perpetrators of deviate sexual behavior

online believe or even proclaim that their amendment rights are being hampered by these legal sanction

against them viewing, trading, or posting n regards to child pornography or any forum as it relates to

this crime.


So what does the individual behind the keyboard look like, or dress like? Is he or she a green

fang toothed monster, or a red devil with a pitch fork and a tail? He or she is quite the opposite of

cartoonish depictions of this evil that is perpetrated online.

He, or she can be as normal as you or I—or as strange as one can fantasize about the in the dark

corners of one’s mind. They are newspaper carriers, the elderly, they are younger, they are the society’s

lowly … they are bankers, candle stick makers, beggars and thieves. Either gender can be a cybercriminal

in this manner, although the male population is most common. Variances in age, race, creed, and

faith/religious denomination occur with these cybercriminals (Hickey, 2008).

Paraphilias: Pedophilia and Hebephilia

The American Psychiatric Association [(APA)] (2000) cite the following as it concerns paraphilic

disorders: they are recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, urges, or behaviors generally 1)

involving nonhuman objects, 2) suffering or humiliation of oneself, or a partner, 3) child or

nonconsenting persons-that occur for over a period of six months (APA, 2000).

Pedophilia.

This term refers to sexual activity with a prepubescent child (13 years old or younger); also, the

actor must be at least 16 years old, and at least 5 years older than the victim (APA, 2000). Some of these

perpetrators prefer females, and some prefer male victims—yet another subset prefer either- or-

genders. For those deviates that prefer females victims, their age preference usually falls between 8-10

years old; for those preferring male victims their victims are usually slightly older. Additionally, some of

these violators are attracted only to children and are referred to as the exclusive type, and those that

are also attracted to both adults and children are called nonexclusive types (APA, 2000).

Hebephilia.


A subtype of paraphilia/pedophile is known as the hebephile: it simply defines the male, or

female who desires are committing sexual acts against children— they prefer those that are pubescent.

Age begins near 14 years old, and is within adolescence age range (Frances, 2011).

Profile of an Online Sexual Predator

What is behind the thought process, and the method to their deviate madness? Consider the

following concepts:

1. They are looking to remain undetected by L.E. and remain anonymous.

2. The internet is used as his, or her outlet.

3. They are better at interacting with children than the child’s own parents at times.

4. They are people that may also have access offline to our children because of their

professions, or volunteer activities.

5. They lurk the internet chatrooms and are devoted to learning nonsexual topics like

sports, popular music etc. in order to spark a child’s interests, gain trust, and gain

control of the situation.

6. They know how to bond with children via clever conversations, until the child becomes

more open to talk to them in depth, thus leading to sexually activity eventually (FBI,

2011).

About an Offenders Childhood.

Approximately two thirds of convicted sexual offender polled in a British Prison state that they

were victimized by sexual abuse at least one time during their childhood. In yet a separate poll within

the United States—90% of those who had once been incarcerated for child sexual abuse, spoke about

maltreatment that occurred in their youth: this ranged anywhere from neglect to severe abuse.

Additionally, 70% of those that were incarcerated at the time of the study, report experiencing sexual


abuse as children. Furthermore—boys that were abused in this manner were more frequently abused by

female relatives, and were more likely to become abusers than those abused by male relatives, or

outside of the family relationships (Thomas, Phillips, Carlson, Shieh, Kirkwood, Cabage, & Worley ,2012).

In the proceeding list, there ideas of what have negative experiences in a child sex offender’s childhood, that have been reported by those that have been convicted:

Parental neglect Experienced, or witnessed physical violence Lack of material care Childhood attachments to parents were more secure with the mother than the father Reported distress in adulthood from childhood causing emotional focused coping

mechanisms (e.g. fantasy) Lower self esteem Loneliness In apt social skills Some were from two parent homes Some lost/never known one parent Some had neglectful-alcoholic parents Many experienced childhood trauma from abandonment, neglect, and emotional-

physical abuse Did not fit in school Longed for missed childhood

(Thomas et al.; 2012)

Who views Child Pornography?

Quayle (2011). States the following: “Internet sex offenses have accounted for roughly one third of all sex convictions”

As it is it commonly known, the use of pornography and its contender cyber porn –they are not

an uncommon entity as it regards child sexual abuse. Some use the internet to stalk, and capture images

of children—while some arrange secret meeting for abuse via the use of the internet. It all varies

depending on each criminal.

Here are some facts regarding the cyber perpetrators and his victims cited by Quayle (2011):


[T]hey “are more likely to offend in the company of a male and are highly likely to have

experiences both childhood and adulthood victimizations at the hands of men, and are likely to display

some profound disturbances in their ability to seek and maintain appropriate adult intimate

relationships…relationships, personal perception of men and boys are relatively immature, profoundly

disturbed, and inextricably linked to their offending behaviors (Quayle, 2011; p. 392).

Although males are vastly more likely to commit crimes in this arena—female actors perpetrate

on occasion. Lastly—in the subsequent data, presented will be more characterizes of the cyber

pornography perpetrator:

99% appear to be male The majority are Caucasian Over 60% showed being sexually stimulated by way of the penal erection after viewing

child pornography, opposed to other adults viewing child pornography. Child pornography offenders with any kind of prior criminal history were more likely to

commit a contact offense, or any kind of offense within two-two and a half years of beginning their cyber porn activity.

They Stick Together in Cyber-Space

Although the protection, of the actor’s freedom (that is why they remain anonymous) is their

secondary goal outside of their primary goal of trading, viewing, and bragging about their exploits with

children—these cyber criminals also tend to help each other out in various fashions (FBI, 2011).

Specifically, they give each other tips on how to trade, receive, retrieve, and behave online. Also, they

provide general support for one another in order to bolster the self-esteem of their deviate peers. They

share direct connections to others who prefer subtypes of child pornography (for instance, lovers of

boys). The following is an official, legitimate site that is dedicated to this particular interest for

pedophiles: NAMBLA [(North American Man/Boy Love Association)] (FBI, 2011).


In a proverbial nutshell—the internet profoundly exasperates the pattern by which the

pedophiles progress with their behaviors towards children. Before the internet connection to child porn,

it would have taken years for the evolution of the sexual predator to go through each stage: 1) viewing

child porn, 2) voyeurism of children in person, and 3) physical contact with a child. The vast amounts of

available data for a cyber actor are profound. There are chatrooms, and forums to help for each

variance in taste in victimizing children, and more child pornography available than can be stayed atop

of L.E. officials. Crime never sleeps, and this one is no exception. All of these avenues are steadily, and

readily available for the perpetrator 24 hours a days, and seven days a week. What was once the

evolution of a deviate, has now become an emerging pattern that is barely hampered—simply because

of the World Wide Web’s availability of anything desired by them. Their addiction is met, with just click

of the mouse, and a swipe, or a download of an application on their smart cell phones.

They Don’t Always Act Alone

“Last April a 10 year old girl was invited to a slumber party at the home of another little girl in

Greenfield, CA. What her parents didn’t know: the friend’s father Ronald Riva, was a member of the

Orchid Club, an online group of men who met in pedophile chatrooms that used the internet to swap

child pornography and true life stories of child molestations “(FBI, 2011; p1 ).

This unsuspecting child was molested by the home owner—a parent whose child invited her

over for innocent fun. Unfortunately, he did not act alone: one of his peers from the Orchid Club co-

committed this crime with him, as they sexually abused this young girl all while being live broadcasted

for other members of the club to witness while this was taking place.

Children Become Part of the Anonymity


Often after a child has been groomed by a cyber predator, before, during, or even after the

sexual molestations-- the child victim protects the anonymity of the perpetrator. There are secret

languages that may be used to do so:

PAW, or PRW= parents are watching

PIR= parents in room

POS= parents over shoulder

P911= parent emergency

(L)MIRL= lets meet in real life

The issue with children possibly keeping their perpetrators unidentified is because partly they

may feel ashamed, or embarrassed simply because they have experienced an interest in sexuality, or

even being a little curious about what was transpiring with them and the criminal; this is typically more

the case with teens (FBI, 2011). Sometimes within the act of engaging in this deviate-illicit

“relationship”, the child victim may turn off the computer when an adult approaches, or move the

screen in another direction in order to avoid detection of the goings on, or the criminal himself (FBI,

2011).

Cyber Stalking: a Method to Their Madness

“Stalking according to the US Department of Justice involves harassing, or threatening

behaviors that an individual engages in repeatedly, such as following a person, appearing at a

person’s home or place of business, making harassing phone calls, leaving written messages or

objects, or vandalizing a person’s property (Valdosta State University , 2015).

Phases of Stalking.

Obsession: stages of being enthralled with victim


Information Gathering: gets details about the victim from loved ones, coworkers, finds

out their usual where about etc.

Harassment: positively, or negatively interactions with their target, such a s verbal abuse

or threats for negative--the positive can consist of pursuing the target without any

encouragement

Violence: physical, and or sexual violence on the victim

Sending emails, illicit pictures of him or herself, gifts to the child, or even calling them via the

phone can all transpire without any encouragement on the child’s behalf or permission by the minor

whatsoever (Valdosta State University , 2015).

Subtypes of Cyber Stalking.

Email Cyber stalking: initiates relationship without ceasing or encouragement

Internet Cyber Stalking: used to visit victim in chatrooms, or adding spyware to track

their moves around the World Wide Web

Computer Cyber Stalking: may assume control of the targets computer through

hacking, DOS attacks etc. (Valdosta State University, 2015).

Addiction at It’s Worst

For the child cyber predator—child pornography is their go to tool, fixations, and their

addictions fix. They become immersed in a lifestyle of actively seeking out their prey, and going through

elaborate measures to conceal their freedoms and privacy to perpetrate their crimes. Cyber Sex

Offenders do not have one, or two victims—they always continue on until the day that they are

captured. Sometimes incarnation does not stop the criminal from seeking out, or even stalking children

online. It is a rare occurrence that they cease without help, warning, prison time. They often have


victims where the amounts fall into the double digits (10, 20, 30 etc.). Their goals, desires, thriving is

hinged upon catching their prey—which of course are under aged children, and sometimes infants are

used in for sexual pleasure. Age preferences range from criminal to criminal. Some do not care

regardless of gender, race, or age—but generally they do like certain age ranges over others.

Cyber pornography is rampart- therefore it is the quickest fix ever-however, and whatever the

criminal chooses. With one click, or download they meet their very maladjusted criminal needs at the

expense of a victim(s). This can be instantaneous, opposed to walking to the private section of an adult

bookstore and thumbing through the specified section. It’s there, and it protects anonymity. For the

cybercriminal they have both of what they need, access 24/7, and they get to protect their obscurity.

Child Molestations that have Transpired Offline because of Pornography

Were Rearrested for con-tact offense after 4 years Admitted to Contact

Sexual Offenses

6%

55%

Contact Sexual Offenses Because of Child Porn

Seto (n.d.)

donna demond, 12/08/15,

donna demond, 12/10/15,


Recidivism

Category 1 Category 2

Committ New Offenses After 3 years

Committ Contact Sexual Offenses After 3 years

5%

2%

RecedivismsOut of 9 Samples= 2630 offenders total

Column1 Column2 After 3 years

Axis Title

Axis

Title

Seto (n.d.).


Federal Child Pornography Offenders

*These Offenders as mentioned above are most unlikely to reoffend.

Seto (n.d.).

Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4

Employed Some Education Married or Previously Married No Prior Criminal Offenses

68%

58% 59%

53%

Characteristics of Those That view Childpornograhy:Poll done by The Federal Bureau of Prisons

Column1 Column2 Column3


References

American Psychiatric Association (2000). Paraphilias; Sexual Disorders; Pedophile; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV;

FBI (2011). Child Predators: The Online Threat Continues to Grow; Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov.

Frances, A.J. (2011). DSM5 Tries to Sneak in Hebephilia; DSM in Distress; Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com.

Hickey, T.J. (2008). Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Crime and Criminology; eighth edition; McGraw Hill; NY.

Quayle, E. (2011). Pedophile, Child Pornography, and Cyber Predators; c. 46; Routledge Handbook of Deviant Behavior; NY; Retrieved from httpp://www.google.com.

Thomas, S.P.; Phillips, K.; Carlson, K. ; Shieh, F.; Kirkwood, E. ; Cabage, L.; & Worley, L. (2012). Childhood Experiences of Perpetrators of Child Sexual Abuse; Perspective in Psychiatric Care; doi: 10.1111/j 1744-6163.2012.00349x.

Seta, M. (n.d.). Internet Facilitated Sexual Offending; c. 4; Sex Offenders Management and Planning; Initiative of Office of Justice Programs; Retrieved from http://www.smart.gov.

Valdosta State University (2015). Stalking and Cyber Stalking: Health Promotions; Retrieved from http://www.valdosta.edu.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/

http://www.fbi.gov/

Documents

Portrait of a Cyber Sexual Predator